System foe transmitting and distributing electrical energy



2 A. H S A SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING AND DISTRIBUTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

Patented Aug. 19, 1884.

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W. .IMSI-111W.A SYSTEM EOE TEANSMITTING AND DISTEIBUTING ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

No. 303,891. 'K Patented Aug. 19, 1884.

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WvILLlAM ANTHONY SHAV, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATOR COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING AND DlSTRlBUTlNG ELECTRICAL ENERGY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent "No, 303,891, dated August 19, 1884.

- Application flcd April :'21, 1882.

To ctZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ANTHONY SHAW, of Brooklyn, Kings county, NewYork, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovenients in Systems for Transmitting and Distributing Electrical Energy, of which the following is a full description.

This invention relates more particularly to the distribution of electrical energy for lightro ing, for driving machinery, and for other purposes; and it consists in a combined system of batteries and conductors.

The invention contemplates more particularly the use of secondary or storage batteries, the electrodes of which serve as well to conduct as to accumulate or store the electrical energy supplied by dynamo or magneto electric machines, or from other suitable source. These combined batteries and conduetors, or line-batteries, as they will be called herein, consist of a continuous battery or a number of batteries connected by conductors, or oi' both. rlhe simplest and one of the most convenient and efficient forms consists ol a pipe forming one electrode of the battery and inclosing the other battery-electrode and the electrolyte. Another mode of construction is to inclose the electrode conduetors andthe electrolyte in a pipe of non- 3o conducting material. Then a number of batteries are used, they are preferably placed at proper intervals apart, depending on the size and character of the battery, and are connected with the distributingconductors in 3 5 derivation or multiple are, the required ten sion or electro-motive force being secured by the internal construction of the several batteries. It is, however, practicable to arrange the line-batteries,when provided as well with -4o divided as with continuous electrodes, so that the electromotive force can be varied by proper coupling oi' the electrodes in series, and electricity of different tension supplied at diil'erent points. rlhe electrodes of the sccondary or'storage batteries may be of any known or suitable material adapted for use in such batteries, but are preferably of plates ol" lead or lead alloy coated witlrred lead or other oxide or compound of lead.

(No model.)

The nature and design of the invention having been now set forth in a general way, a description will now be given, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, showing more in detail the manner of carrying the principles enunciatcd into eiicct and explaining parts of .55 the invention omitted from the foregoing general description.

Figure l of said drawings is a diagram illustrating the general plan of a system of electrical distributers in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 a section illustrating in detail a portion of aline-battery. Figs. 3, 4,

5, and 6 represent dilierent i'orms of a continuous line-battery, and Fig. 7 shows a system wherein a number. of small cells are used in place of a linebattery.

A is a line-'battery comprising main trunks and lateral branches of different size, reaching to all parts of a lcity or district to be supplied with electricity. 7o

B represents the dynamo-electric machines, and C indicates a pump for forcing water or other liquids through suitable pipes to supply the electrolytic liquid to the battery.

Referring to Fig. 2, the line-battery consists of an exterior tubular electrode or pipe, a, (say of lead,) having a coating, b, of red lead or other active material on its interior, and embedded in insulating material c, and an interior electrode, d, formed of a perforated lead 8o pipe coated eXteriorly with red lead or other active material, b, and a lling and separating medium, c, formed of, say, a mixture in equal portions of earth and alkaline nitrate, (nitrate of potash or soda, or both.) The perforations S5 f in the inner electrode, d, allow Water or other iluid forced into said electrode by the pump C through the pipe a, or by other suitable means, to pass through the walls of the electrode and meisten the separating medium e. 9o The two electrodes are connected with opposite poles of a dynamo-electric machine, B, or of a number of such machines at different parts of the system. It is obvious that any part of the district supplied by suoli system can obtain a supply of electricity by tapping the linebattery. In order, however, to avoid the necessity of cutting through the walls of theA exterior electrode wherever a l'iattery-eonnec tion is desired, an insulated conductor, y, is run along the line and connected by oi't shoots h with the interior electrode, (Z, so that when a connection desired it is only necessary to connect this conduetorf/ with one pole ofthe electric light, motor, or other translating device, lr, to be supplied, the other pole being connected with the exterior electrode.

lin view oiVl the comparative low Conductivity ot'lead, it is well to combine with the electrodes a material ot' better conducting eapacity, such as copper or iron. The conduct or g, which may be made ot' such material, serves to reduce the resistance of the inner electrode, (acting as a conductor for the current for the machine 13,) as well as to furnish a ready means for making servicc-conncctions.

The strip i, let into the exterior electrode, has

a similar function.

Instead ofthe iilling and separating` me diumvot' a salt and absorbent material, c, the space between the electrodes may be iilled with inactive absorbent material.-asbestus, cloth, sponge, paper, leather, elfe-which will be wet by suitable electrolytic liquids introduced through the inner electrode. An impertorate inner electrode may also be used. rlhe bore oi' the inner electrode could also be used to contain telephone or telegraph wires or other conductors` or the innen.l electrode could be made solid. An impertbrate inner tubular electrode is shown in cross-section at dit, Fig. (i, and a solid inner electrode at lr, Fig. 5. rlhe electrolytic liquid in either ease is introduced by the tube a into the annular space surrounding the inner electrode.

ln Fig. (i a number otelectrical wires, ir, covered with insulating material, are inelosed in the inner electrode.

For convenience oi' manufacture, the imperforato inner electrode is prel'erred, as continuous lengths ot'the line-battery may be pressed out at once i'rom a suitable pipe-press. rlhis matter will, however, '.t'orm the subject ot a separate application, tiled May 13, 1852, and oilieially numbered (51,269, to which reference may be had. Alter mamitacture, the holes for the oilshoots or connections /t may be bored. The angular joints at the corners ot' streets may be made ot` cast or partly of cast and partly of drawn metal.

lt is evident that a line-battery organized as described may be ot' any size, section, or

iisel t being oi' any desired length. The battery would constitute both the battery and the return-coiuluctor.

Fig. 3 represents in horizontl l section alinebattery consisting ol' a tube, Y, et' glass, wood, clay, earthcnwarc stone, artificial stone, metal, or other material, and two parallel electrodes, in, inclosed therein, said electrodes being coated with red lead or other active material, I), and separated by a iilling medium, c.

Fig. 5 shows an inner electrode, fr, inclosed in a tube, l, which constitutes the outer nr opposing electrode, and separated thereironi by blocks t ol' insulating material.

Fig. 4 shows aninterior electrode7 formed el disks v1, strung on a rod, p,separated by disks q, ol" paper, parchment, papencloth, dse., and coated with active material b. The disks q* are represented in solid black. They are ol smaller' diameter than the disks '21, and the active material is placed in theannular spaces around the edges ot' the disks q, between the projecting margins ol" the disks a, The elec trode may be supijiorted in an inclosing tubular electrode, like the electrode d, Fig. 2, or like the electrode r, Fig.

ln Figs. 2, 3, and 5 only two electrodes are shown, but it is obvious that thenumber may be increased. One mode ol' Aincreasing the number is illustrated in Fig. t3, in which, between tlic exterior tubular electrode, ai?, and the inner one, dit, an intermediate tube, y, which constitutes a double electrode, making one voltaic couple wit-h the interior electrode7 dii, and another with the electrode au The electrodes are separated by porous lilling ma'- tcrial c. rllhe exciting or electrolytieliquid is introduced by the pipe a into the space be tween the electrodes y] and dfjand by the pi pe a into the space between electrodes 1/ and ai,

Instead ot' a linebattery in which the eleetrodes also serve as distributi11g-conductors ol' electricity, or as electrodes, distributing-con doctors, and distributers oi the exciting-liauid, a series ot' separate cells in which the electrodes do not act as conductors distribute ing the electricity may be nsed,and the invention still be employed in part, although not in whole.

In Fig. 7 the boxes D or eases ol' the batteries are closed,and electrolytic liquid is circulated through them by the pipes ll' ll", which also servo as conductors. The inletA pipe enters at the top, the outlet being at the bottom.

It is obvious that there are various other ways ot' arranging the electrodes 5 but the abo re will be sutlicient both to illustrate the principles ot the invention and to enable those skilled in the art to carry the same into atleet.

\\'ith regard to the electrode shown in Fig. l, no elaimis made herein to the construction ofthe electrode itself,such elai m being reserved to a separate application-to wit, to my application t'or improvementin secondary batteries, tiled June 25, 1588, and ollicially Srl) IIS

numbered 99,166, but, if used in the manner described in asystem of storing and distributing electricity, such use is ivithin the scope of the present invention.

Having noW fully described my said invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect, what I claim is l. A system of storing and distributingelectrical energy, comprising one or more conductors and batteries constructed and arranged, as described, so that said conductors constitute the poles of extended elements or battery-electrodes, the lights,motors,and other translating devices utilizing continuous currents and supplied from said conductors being placed in derived branches, substantially as described.

2. In a circuit or system for transmitting or distributing electrical energy, a battery whereofthe electrodes serve also as conductors, being traversed by electric currents passing through the electrodes lengthwise or breadth wise of the same, as Well as by currents passing from one electrode to another through the electrolyte, the said electrodes being primarily coated with a porous layer of active material, substantially as described.

3. Aline-battery having an exterior tubular electrode and one or more interior electrodes, in combination with an exterior insulated conductor connected with one of the inner electricity and a pump for supplying an excitg ing-liquid to it, substantially as described.

G. In a system for distributing electricity, a storage-battery provided with conductors in the form of pipes, the same serving to distribute the .exciting-liquid throughout the system, in combination with a dynamo-electric machine for charging the battery with electricity and a pu mp for forcing th e exciting-liquid throu gli out the system, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this speciication in the presence oi" two subscribing witnesses.

WM. ANTHONY SI-IAV.

Vitnesses:

M. M. BUDLQNG, G. W. RiuvsoN. 

